"Big Girl Bed" Update

So last night was Erin's first night in her "big girl bed" (modified crib). Since she is so active I was pretty skeptical about how it would go. I took my crocheting basket upstairs in preparation for staying there for a while enforcing the rules. She was very excited at bedtime and climbed up by herself. I tucked her pink blanket under the mattress, hoping that it would help her to feel where the edge of the bed was and not fall out. Then I told her the rules.

"Erin, you must stay in your bed. You may not get out until Mama comes to get you in the morning. And no playing in your bed; go to sleep now."

To my great surprise, there was no problem. Not even a peep. For a few weeks now I have had to go upstairs several times after the lights are out to tell her to stop messing around and go to sleep. When I peeked in on her when I went to bed she was a little bit uncovered but that was it.

We did put the gate in her doorway after we closed the door. We didn't want her falling down the steps if she got up and was half awake.

Around 3 I heard her crying, which is not too unusual. She was standing by the door when I went to her, but I couldn't understand what she was saying. She was pretty cold and asked to have her diaper changed, so I did and then rocked her for a few minutes with her snuggle blankie. As I was tucking her in again she said quietly to me, "No messing around." I think she got it. I had to wake her up in the morning to get ready to go to CBS and her blankets were exactly as I had put them at 3!

We also needed to make a rule about where to put blankie & pipe since they are supposed to stay in the bed. She puts them under her pillow - we'll see how long until she comes downstairs with them!

Now we are working on going potty right after she gets up. She has a potty chair in her room since we don't have a bathroom upstairs and she went right away this morning. She tried after her nap but since she had already wet her diaper she didn't go. I think I will make a potty chart for going after she wakes up and see if that helps.

Next big change on the agenda: getting rid of the pipe. I think 3 is plenty old enough; Luke gave his up when he was 3. Maybe after she's used to the new bed we can make a plan to get rid of it.